Kat’s Pause: Proof

If anything has been learned from the various scandals in the sports world through the years, it is that little is ever as it seems.

Kathleen Szmit

If anything has been learned from the various scandals in the sports world through the years, it is that little is ever as it seems. Take, for example, the case against Lance Armstrong.

Not many years ago, Armstrong, who rode to victory in an impressive seven Tour de France cycling races, considered by countless enthusiasts the true test of athleticism, was believed the world’s greatest cyclist.

This week Armstrong saw all seven of those victories erased amid continued allegations that he was part of what the United States Anti-Doping Agency referred to as “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.”

I’d like to offer my take.

As a fan of the grace and physicality of cycling, first introduced to me by my high school team, I’ve read with interest the stories about Armstrong that have been splashed across media outlets throughout the world.

Through it all, one question has been nagging at me: where is the proof?

The USADA claims it has a report containing statements from almost a dozen of Armstrong’s former teammates, who claim to have doped along with the champion cyclist and cancer survivor.

The report is referred to in every article I’ve read, many of which paint a grim picture of a man who was once revered for his forthright nature.

What the stories don’t do is provide the actual proof, and until I see the actual proof, the information bandied about on sports pages everywhere is simply hearsay.

It also makes me wonder how Armstrong reportedly passed hundreds of drug tests during his storied career. Were the tests legit? What happened to the results? Is there a conspiracy here, or is Armstrong really just a big, huge liar?

Not choosing to continue defending himself against the allegations, and two giant entities (the USADA and the International Cycling Union) with who knows how many billions of dollars in legal representation behind them, doesn’t make Armstrong guilty. Proof of him actually doping would make him guilty, and so far, I haven’t seen it.

Are there photos? Did someone falsify his supposedly clear racing tests? Is there DNA lurking somewhere that will put this matter to rest once and for all?

Until proof is provided, this becomes another unsolved mystery to me. Is Armstrong being targeted by jealous foes? Did they receive tidy payoffs to oust the champ? Or, is Armstrong just a slick purveyor of falsehoods who charmed his way through until someone got sick of it?

To each of these questions, the answer is, “I don’t know.” Until I do, with certainty, I have a difficult time choosing where my loyalties lie, and an even more difficult time vilifying someone who may or may not deserve it.

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